In the End
by Ices Yvey
Summary: When master thief Serena Vanria and her rival Darien Mikeals go head to head for each heist, the volcanic tempers of both will soon come to a head. Will their friends be able to show the two that they are meant for each other before its too late?
1. Prolouge

In The End  
  
Author: Ices Yvey  
  
Prolouge  
  
*************  
Athens - 1999 - New Years  
----------------------------------  
  
Darien crept through the bedroom where his contact had told him the object would be. He was getting nervous, he shook the feelings off and almost laughed when he pulled the thick carpet away to show the face of the floor safe. He set his bag down next to him and pulled out a stethoscope and a small drill. He paused a moment to listen to the music of the New Years' party below him then slipped the sethoscope on and put it to the safe near the lock. He moved the knob right, and it clicked, left.... click.... right... pop. He sat back on his haunches and pulled the door to the safe upward.  
His gloves hands rifled through the contents of the safe until he pulled a metal case from the inside. he set the case on the floor and used the small drill to drill through the look on the case and open it slowly. On a black velevet pillow lay a necklace that had a large teardrop ruby and large diamonds that made up the chain. He shoved that into his pocket then pulled a velvet bag from his other pocket and pulled out a necklace that was a exact copy except for the stones being paste and glass.  
Darien put the fake into the case and closed knowing that no one would be able to tell that the case had been tampered with and put the case into the safe and looked around before standing and making his way toward the door. Just as he put his hand on the knob he heard voices coming toward him and blinked. He let go of the knob and backed away soundlessly then turned toward the window that took up one half of the room in the villa and nodded turned walking toward the window and jumping out just as he heard the door above him open.   
Darien landed on both feet then stood and dusted off his tuxedo coat and moved through the garden toward the front of the house. He asked the butler to get his car and glanced at his watch while waiting. His head shot up with the Accura RSX type S came to a stop infront of him. He handed the footman a tip and climbed behind the wheel and sped off with a squeal of burning tires. He glances in the rearview mirror and raised a grey streaked brow at his image then with one hand rubbed at the hair grease in his hair trying to get rid of the grey streaks.   
Then he picked up his cell phone and his a button on the key pad. He listened to it ring once then someone picked it up, and a soft feminine voice floated over the line.  
  
" Hello, Luna Carlsdale...."  
  
" Luna its Darien, call Madam De'Vonare and tell her that my mission was a suscess I'll be heading for the harbor in about twenty minutes."  
  
" Okay Darien, we'll see you soon."  
  
Darien hung up the phone and consentrated on getting to the harbor.  
  
---------  
  
Back at the villa, two women walked into the room and looked around as the blond moved quietly toward the safe and paused when she pulled the carpet back, unseen by most but there was a silver mark next to where the safe rested in the wood. He had beaten her again. Serena Vanria's curses filled the silent room as her friend looked curiously at Serena.  
  
" Lets go Lita, Mr. Mikeals beat us again. " Serena said and moved silently out of the room followed by her silent shadow.  
  
*********** 


	2. Chapter One

In The End  
  
Chapter One  
  
*************  
New york- 2000 March  
********************  
  
Serena unlocked the door to her loft apartment and sighed when she spotted her younger sister Innocents, sitting on her couch. Serena tossed her keys on a end table then stripped off her black kid gloves and raised a brow,  
" Innocents what are you doing in my home?"  
Serena asked softly as she moved further into the room the silver gun plainly visable in the waistband of her jeans.  
Innocents blinked and tried to appear innocent, easier said than done. Innocents Vanria stood six foot, had hip length light blue hair and dark brown eyes. Not to mention there were two nickle plated 9mm Glocks in a double shoulder holster that could be seen under the black leather jacket she wore.  
  
" Cut the shit, Innocents, what are you doing in my home?" Serena asked again  
  
Saffire eyes cut deeply into chocolate brown ones, Innocents crossed one leg over the other and sighed, " The station got a tip that Raven, would be making another attempt at the birds eye ruby."  
Serena sat in the chair across from her sister, " And they sent Detective Innocents Vanria, to stop her older sister from making a mistake right?" She said folding her arms across her chest.  
Innocents shook her head, " You know that I have not told them that you are Raven, I don't want you to get hurt."  
  
Serena smirked, " And since when did you give a damn about me?"  
  
Innocents shrugged, " Maybe I do, Maybe I don't."  
  
Serena shrugged well used to the fact that her and her sister didn't share any lost love. " I will go for the birds eye, Innocents. Don't get in my way." She said  
  
Innocents stood silently and shrugged again, " Suit yourself Serena, know that my department is watching for movement of, Raven" She said as she walked out.  
  
Serena stared after her sister then picked up her phone and dialed the number for her best friend Artemis Gentry. As she listened to the phone ring she thought of her equitment agent Artemis and sighed, Artemis was twenty-five had shoulder length white hair and knowing yellow eyes. He was ex-CIA and good at what he did. He could get anything from a simple lock pick to a lazer drill.   
  
" Gentry...." the voice on the other line said in a guff smoke filled voice.  
  
" Hey Artemis, its Serena. Innocents was just here. She bought the bait about us going after the birds eye. So are all the plans set in motion for the heist in London this weekend?"  
  
Serena could hear a rustling on the other end of the phone and her eyes slanted toward the clock on the TV, 2 am. Which ment that Artemis had been in bed with his fiancee Usagi for hours. She shook her head not having a current relationship she didn't understand the details that came with having a fiancee. Usagi was one of Serenas' best friends and was a amunitions tech. You gave Usagi something and she'd make it blow up, it was whispered by the people in their little group that Serena and Usagi could pass as twins.   
  
" Sorry for waking you up Artemis, I'll let you get back to bed. I'm sure Usa's ready to bite my head off for waking you." Serena said.  
  
Serena heard a yawn then a light chuckle, " No. Actually Usa's busy in Japan at the moment and I don't expect her back for another day or so. "   
  
A soft clicking sound could be heard, then the sound of a modem as Artemis logged onto the telenet that he pirated from a company that was their front. After a moment Serena could hear the slightly staticy voice of Usagi from over the modem connection that Artimis had just made. Then Artimis' voice came back over the line,  
  
" Okay Serena lets set plans into motion..." he said  
  
Serena nodded and for the next eight hours, Serena, Artimis, and Usagi plotted their heist and how it would take place. Then Serena and Artimis said goodnight and they hung up so that Artimis and Usagi could talk to each other for a while. The familuar pang of jealousy wriggled through her as she thought about how close Usagi and Artimis were then she shook her head at herself and sighed leaning back on her couch when her phone rang again, she picked it up and stared at it a moment before hitting the talk button.  
  
" Raven, here..." She said in a brisk tone not wanting to spend more time than neccicary with the person on the other side of the phone.  
  
Serena heard a soft chuckle over the other side of the phone and a chill raced through her spine rippling softly. Then the voice said in a sickly sweet utterly false voice,   
  
" Ms. Vanria should you answer your phone like that? I mean what if I were a cop or something? A government agent? "  
  
Serena scowled, " Because Madam Raye I have caller ID and if that isn't enough security then I'm good enough to know that cops aren't looking for me at the moment."  
  
Again the laugh sounded which only made Serena clench her teeth even more, " Yes but not as good as Monsieur Hou."  
  
Serena stared at the slightly open door to her room and sighed before paying attention to the woman on the other end of the phone, " Is there a point to you calling Raye? Or just to annoy me to death in hopes that I will drop off the face of the planet."  
  
A pause then, " Don't go after the disk Serena, you'll only get in our way." then the line went dead and Serena frowned and hung up the phone. Why Raye DeMonte would call and warn her to stay away from london was beyond her, unless Darien Mikeals was on the job as well. If that was the case Serena would go anyway. Serena packed her gear then went into the bathroom and took a long hot shower before getting a good nights rest.  
  
*****  
London, England   
9:00 am  
****************  
  
Serena walked down the street slowly the disk tucked securely in the breast pocket of her black zip up coat. Suddenly the sounds of gunfire greeted her ears and she broke into a run. She reached back for the nextel phone, she hit a button on the side and yelled into the phone,  
  
" Artimis, whats going on over there? "  
  
Artimis ducked behind the sleek, specialized Mitsubishi Acura 3000GT as bullets whizzed over head and tinked off the armor plated sides. He was glad that their shop here in England had gotten his order to armor the car before sending it to the townhouse. At his phone beeping he switched his gun to his left hand and let it dangle as he listened to Serena's question.  
  
" Oh nothing much its a lead hail out here and Usa, is in the middle of it with her colt fourty-fives blowing wholes through the enemies. We could use our fearless leader though." he replied then moved to a kneeling position and fired his desert eagle, before returning to his position behind the car. He could hear Usa cussing out the people as she fired at them. Suddently he heard something that made his throat close, Usa's guns clicked empty. " Sere I have to go Usa's in the middle of the gun fight and she empty."  
  
Before Serena could answer the line went dead Serena put her phone back and cursed then took off in the direction of the gun fire reaching for her ladysmith .22 it wouldn't do much but held 13 bullets 14 on a good day. She rounded the corner to see Usa pinned down on the ground with a special ops person in black ontop of her. Artimis was pinned by gunfire behind the car. From her vantage point Serena saw the man in the black sunglasses and also the floating raven colored hair and shocking red womens business suit. This wasn't people from the building she had just procured the data from. It was Darien Mikeals and Raye DeMonte they stood next to a black 2002 Mustang Darien had an assult rifle aimed at Artimis.   
Serena lifted her gun in a tea-cup grip and squeezed off two rounds, the bullets bit into the stock of the riffle and knocked it from Dariens arms. He turned and looked at her with empty midnight eyes then whispered something to Raye and ducked into the drivers side of the car. Raye fired her gun a couple times then ducked into the back seat of the car and pulled out a rocketlauncher and fired it in Artimis' direction before calmly sliding in next to Darien. The blast of the rocket hitting the car Artimis was hiding behind was ebough to get Serena's attention from Darien and Raye as they drove off. Serena ran over and squeezed off a shot at the man on Usa then helped her friend off the ground and ran to where Artimis was lay uncontious.   
Usa holstered her guns and knelt next to Artimis lifting his head into her lap as she looked at the burning remains of the Acura. Serena also kneeling down her gun held in one hand and her phone in the other, she dialed the number for Gentry Technologies, the front of her operation. She listened to the phone ring and sighed she didn't know if the london branch was still open. Finally after what seemed like forever Agrias, the head of departments picked up.  
  
" 'ello Gentry Tech, 'ow may I help you?"   
Serena smiled at the familuar voice, " Agrias its Serena Vanrias here. Artimis, Usa and I need a new car."  
" Sure thing boss, " Agrias said and hung up the phone.  
Serena tucked her phone behind her back and looked over at Artimis who was awake now and Usa, " A cars picking us up soon."  
The other two nodded and when serena pulled out the mini disk they grinned the laughed and looked around at the burning cars and bushes on the street. Not a hour later Artimis, Usa and Serena walked into their townhouse and went to bed after Serena made a few calls to her buyer.  
*******  
NewYork  
*******  
Innocents picked up the phone as it rang and listened to what the people said on the other line before throwing the phone across her front room. Her sister had not gone after the bird... she had traveled to London and taken a job much more dangerous, not that Innocents cared. Innocents informant had told her that the Raven had struck at Evertech the military research lab and gotten away with classified information. It would of been a clean get away if there hadn't of been a gun fight a few blocks away. Innocents moved toward her bedroom, and muttered before she crawled into bed.  
" I will see the end of the Raven...." 


	3. Chapter Two

In the End  
Chapter 2  
************  
London  
12:00 pm  
**********  
Darien watched as his partner paced back and forth infront of him and Luna. She was ranting about how they had let Serena Vanrias' aka the Raven get away with the disk. He often thought that Raye was jealous of the blonde theif.  
  
" I'm serious Darien, we should of been able to grab the disk from her." Raye ranted  
  
Darien raised a brow remembering how Serena had knocked his rifle from his hands with only a .22. to say the least he was a little impressed with with her skills. He looked over at the woman next to him. Luna Carlsdale was a short woman with long curly black hair and sparkling cinnamon eyes. She never said much to anyone but Darien but he knew by the laughter shinning in her eyes that she thought Rayes' rants were funny.  
A ring from his cell phone was enough to make Raye shut up for a moment as Darien answered it. He stood from the couch and walked into his bedroom closing the door as he talked quietly to the person on the other line. Leaving Raye and Luna to look after him curiously.  
  
-------------  
- London, 2:00pm -  
  
Serena walked next to her friend Lt. Lita Lovell and Sgt. Mina Jonson. Their highly polished black combat boot clicked lightly on the tile floors of the military base. Serena's long blonde hair was pulled into a crisp regulation style ponytail. Her army greens were freshly pressed and the folder under her arm well orginized.   
Mina was wearing the same uniform as Serena and Lita and also had long waist length blond hair pulled into a tight ponytail. Besides Usagi, Mina could also pass for Serenas' twin. At the moment Mina was ranting at her two companions as the walked down the hall.  
  
"I tell you Sere, they're gonna figure you out eventually. You spend way too much time with those people."  
  
Serena raised a brow,"Mina just because Usa,Artimis,Agrias, and a few others are theives does not mean that are bad people."  
  
Mina scoffed, " You blew up a two block area outside Evertech! the Majior is furious."  
  
Lita who had been silent until now cleared her throat,"I plead to correct that Mina, Darien Mikaels and Raye DeMonte were the ones to fire the rocket launcher."  
  
Mina let out a wordless shriek and gave a aid the evil eye until he opened the door for them. Then she moved through followed closely by Serena and Lita. Serena who was begining to feel uncomfortable in places like this...surely a bad sign right? Looked at the man seated behind the desk and smiled softly.  
Major Nathaniel McClareson of the United Nations special ops, was indeed a handsome man with shoulder length auburn hair and green eyes. No wonder that Lita was engaged to him. Again Serena felt the familuar pang of jealousy even though Lita remained standing next to her. At the moment her life wouldn't permit her to have a relationship.  
Serena saluted the Major smartly and waited to be told to sit. She always did hate the strictness of the military on such small matters, but sitting before she was told to could mean big problems.  
  
Nathaniel or Nate nodded and the three women sat in the chairs infront of his desk, "Good to see you captian Vanria, I hope you bring good news?"  
  
Serena nodded and laid the folder she had been carrying and the disk she had taken the night before ontop of the folder.  
  
"Yessir, I managed to get in and out with little or now harm to the guards. It was only the gunfight the issued between my men and Darien Mikeals that caused the damage to the street."  
  
Nate picked up the folder and began looking through Serenas' report nodding and making approving noises. When he looked up he only did so with his eyes, the startling green orbs focused on Serena.   
  
"Our resources say that Mr.Mikeals will be going after the laser in a months time. I want this job finished captian Vanria, do you understand?"  
  
Serena nodded,"Yessir!"  
  
Nate motioned for one of his aids to give Serena a case,"Payment for the disk."  
  
Serena nodded and resisted the urge to count it, she would but not infront of her commanding officer."Thank you sir."  
  
Nate nodded Dismissal and the three women stood and saluted him before filing out of the office. Serena wondered as she walked between Mina and Lita how she would be able to turn in not only Darien, but her team. She didn't want to see Artimis and Usa behind bars. They'd be sent to Levenworth with no questions asked, she slanted Mina and Lita a look through half lowered lids. Mina and Lita had been her bestfriends all through boot camp and special ops training.  
Artimis had been her bestfriend for the past three years, sticking his neck out on the line. Rescuing her from gunfire making sure she had the equitment she needed to do the job. He had almost died for her a year ago when she had screwed up and a charge had gone off sooner than it was supposed to.  
  
Now the only question was....  
  
How could she do her job, and make sure Artimis and her other friends didn't go down for it?  
  
Answer....She couldn't.... 


	4. Chapter Three

In the End  
chapter 3  
--------------  
* Three Days Later *  
  
- London -  
  
Serena sat at her desk, in the main building of Gentry Tech working on a new pair of infra-red goggles. She ran a hand through her bangs and pressed the tip of her soldering iron to the chip board. She didn't bother to look up as Artimis walked in a bag in his hand and a cup of coffee held in his other.   
Artimis watched as the golden goddess worked over the goggles and smiled, he had known Serena for three years. When she and Lita had ran into Usa in the middle of a heist and Usa and Lita had gotten into a fist fight. Almost causing all three of them to get arrested. They would had if not for Serena's fast thinking. Serena had told the museum guard that she was an art restorer and that Usa and Lita were her apprentices, how the guard had believed that or if the guard had believed such a thin story was still beyond Artimis.  
The three women had quickly left the musuem and after another argument between Lita and Usa. Usa took Serena and Lita to the loft that, Artimis had rented as a base of opperations durning their stay in town. After a couple hours conversation between Artimis and Serena, and a lot of glaring between Usa and Lita. They had agreed to share the payment of the statue.   
Coming back to the present he smiled and took a seat across from Serena, continuing to watch her work knowing that she would get annoyed if he disturbed her before she had finished what she was doing. He set the coffee on his edge of the desk and lifted his slender hand to run it through his long hair.   
Serena finally set aside her tools and looked at the strongly built man across from her, Artimis Gentry stood over six feet tall and was built like a football line backer. People often mistaked him for gentle because he had dainty hands that would of fit better on a much smaller man. Not to say that Artimis wasn't gentle he was, but he could also be cold and emotionless when he needed to be.   
  
"Whats up?" Serena asked softly slipping the googles on to test them  
  
" I brought the diligent worker coffee and bagels from Ian's" Artimis replied and offered her the bag.  
  
Serena let out a small squeal and grabbed the bag, Ian's was one of the best bagel shops that she had ever eatten from. She pulled out the sundried tomato bagel and pesto and spread it on the bagel half in her hand, then reached for the cup and took a deep drink of the french carmel and white chocolate coffee.   
  
"Mmmm yummie..." she side and licked whipped cream from her lips.  
  
Artimis chuckled and grabbed his own wheat bagel and cinnamon cream cheese. He spread the cream cheese on the bagel half and grabbed the goggles from Serena's forehead. He slipped them on and blinked everything was magnified. Serena giggled seeing his face and swallowed her bite of bagel. She opened her mouth to tell him why when the intercom on her desk sounded. Serena reached a hand forward and pressed the blue button,  
  
"Yes Wendy?"  
  
"Ms.Vanria there is a man to see you out here. He says that it is important." came a soft musical voice.  
  
Serena and Artimis exchanged looks and both stood walking out of her office. They were greeted by the last person she expected to see in her building. Darien Mikeals stood tall and exstreamly large in Serena's secretarys' small office. He was wearing a black wool sweater and a pair of tight black leather pants tucked into combat boots. In one hand he played with his car keys in the other was his sunglasses which he idly chewed on while waiting for her to make an appearance. Midnight eyes checking his surroundings for dangers or means of exscape should he need them.  
  
"Mr.Mikeals, how may I help you?" Serena asked softly  
  
Darien turned and eyed the blonde woman that stood next to the man that he knew as Artimis Gentry, " Ms. Vanaria, I have need of your help on a certian business venture."  
He said softly admiring the way that the pale pink business suit complemented her slender curves.  
  
Serena and Artimis exchanged a look, each one wondering what the grand theif needed from Serena. Serena shrugged and smiled softly at the handsome man, "And tell me why I should help you, Mr. Mikeals... I believe that you were the one that tried to kill   
my friends under a week ago."  
  
Darien smiled charmingly,"That aside Ms. Vanaria I need you help. Please come to lunch with me... all will be explained."  
  
Serena paused then nodded, softly. "Okay I'll go with you but if you try any funny business I will kill you."  
  
Darien bowed,"As you wish Serena."  
  
Artimis looked from the suave man then back at Serena,"I'll just gt my jacket."  
  
Serena shook her head,"You stay here Artimis...if I need help I'll call."   
  
Then she motioned for Darien to preceed her and left the building Artimis staring at their backs. Worriedly... he didn't trust Darien Ascot Mikeals.... no he didn't.  
  
******  
Serena climbed into the red 2000 comaro and settled into the tan leather seats before fastening her seat belt and looking at Darien who was tapping his keys which hung from the ignition. She took the extra few minutes to study Dariens profile the way the wind blown black tresses fell over his eyes. The full hard line of his lips as he steered the car down the street toward Ian's. She shook her head, she couldn't think about him in that light. She was on a mission to stop him.  
Darien was aware of the blonde next to him, he could feel her eyes boring in to the side of his neck. Not that he hadn't taken the time to study Serena out of the corner of his eye. He slammed on the brakes when a moron stopped suddenly infront of him. Serena jerked forward and only her hand on the dash kept her from slamming into the dashboard.  
  
"Sorry about that Ms. Vanria..." Darien said as they pulled into the small parking lot outside Ian's Cafe.  
  
Serena shrugged, "No biggy, but please call me Serena. I hate being called Ms.Vanria."  
  
Darien nodded and led the way into the cafe nodding to the owner Ian before sitting at his favorite table. He caught his breath as Serena paused in a ray of sunlight to adjust her gun before sitting down. The golden light reflected off of her blonde hair making it glow and her saffire eyes sparkle. Finally Serena sat across from him and leveled a look at him.  
  
"Now tell me what you wanted to talk to me about." She said bluntly  
  
Darien smiled tightly wondering how he was going to tell this woman who he really was. He shook his head and plowed into it, "Serena I am not what you think... but I need the help of the Raven...."  
  
Serena raised a brow,"You're not the master theif Kou that tried kill my friends and I three nights ago?"  
  
Darien paused again and looked around the small cafe, Ian's was the best for two reasons. They had the best coffee and bagels in London and the owner Ian Jacobs went to great lengths to make his establishments look quiet and homey. Then he looked back at the sardonic expression on Serena Vanria's face,  
  
"No, I am not."  
  
Serena blinked then began laughing softly,"please do not lie to me Darien."  
  
Darien sighed,"Yes I am the one that was in the gun fight three nights ago, but I am not the theif known as Kou... not totally."  
  
By this point Serena was getting totally confused,"Care to clarify that?"  
  
Darien nodded," I am Detective Darien Adison Corinly, I work with the english government as a shadow agent that sepcializes in taking down world terrorists. I have been working on this current case for the past five years. Along with my partner Jared Vincent."  
  
Serena to say the least was totally shocked but she had to stay in her role,"Okay Detective and what persay is your mission? And why is it that you need the help of a humble theif like myself?"  
  
Darien gave her a knee melting smile,"Because Raye DeMonte is planning to steal a laser cannon that she will sell to the russians."  
  
Serena received another shock when a man with short blond hair walked up behind her and sat in a chair next to Darien,  
  
"It's true Ms.Vanria. Darien and I have been working on this case for years and we have deducted that Raye DeMonte will go for the cannon in two weeks time."  
  
Serena who had simular information nodded and stood offering the man her hand,"I suppose that you are Jared Vincent?"  
  
The man nodded and gave her an impish smile,"If you'll excuse me I must report in now though."  
  
Darien nodded to Jared as the man walked off then looked at Serena,"Well Serena will you help us?"  
  
Serena stood and looked down at him thoughtfully," I will think about it Mr. Mikeals....But I cannot promise a answer today."  
  
Darien nodded, Serena and Darien ate a light lunch then Darien drove her back to Gentry Tech, Serena got out of the car and looked in at Darien. She watched the way the shadows played over his face and smiled softly at him. Darien studied Serena curiously then leaned over the gear shaft to get closer to her.   
  
"Did you want something Ms.Vanria?"  
  
Serena smiled,"Yes Mr.Mikeals.... please tell Mr.Vincent that I will help you both with this case."  
  
Darien felt a flood of relief flow through him at her words, he lifted a hand to brush a strand of gold from her face and paused as she drew back giving him a strange look. Then he lowered his hand and looked at her.  
  
"Good Ms.Vanria... very good. Please meet me at this address tomarrow night." He said and gave her a card that had an address written across it then pulled away of the curb into the city traffic.  
  
Serena watched as Darien drove off wondering what he had been planning then shrugged. She turned and walked into the building taking the Elevator to the seventh floor and walked into her office motioning for Artimis to follow her.   
Artimis excused himself from his conversation with the new clerk Zeke and followed Serena into her office. She looked preoccupied.   
  
"What is it Serena?" He asked softly  
  
Serena stared out at the London landscape that her office looked over as she composed her features. Then turned and gave Artimis a saucy smile and wink.  
  
"Call Usa,Lita,Agrias and Molly, we need to talk." She said simply  
  
Artimis raised a brow then pulled his cellphone from his back pocket and started making the calls. What was the news that Serena had? And why did she need the full team to ve there? Artimis moved to the office door and called Zeke into the office part of the reason the man had been hired was because of his skill with disguise.  
Serena nodded to the man with longish blonde hair that brushed his jaw. She needed to get word to Mina and Nate but it would have to wait until she had a chance to see what she would be doing.  
  
*****  
  
Darien pulled into the parking garage for the loft he had in London, as he climbed out of his car he pulled the gun and leveled it at the woman who stood slightly in the shadows, his midnight eyes going cold and empty like he had been trained to do.   
  
"What the hell are you doing here Marx?" He said softly  
  
The woman laughed softly and stepped from the shadows a pistol grip shotgun leveled at Dariens chest, Halmi Marx had shoulder length blue hair and dark green eyes. She was Darien's sometime partner, more often than not she was a hired assasin or a Merc. She had the most jaded eyes you would ever see. You never wanted to be on the receiving end of her gun. To friends she was Ami Marx to everyone else she was Halmi Marx killer, nightmare, shadow.  
  
"What a way to greet a friend Corinly..."She said.... her voice belied the cold expression on her face. It was warm and musical something you would expect to hear from a hooking not a woman pointing a gun at you and seeming as if she had nothing better to do but chat about the weather.  
  
Darien looked at her over the barrel of his gun,"What the hell do you want?" he repeated  
  
Halmi still leveling the gun at him smiled,"We need to talk care to take a ride?"  
  
Darien sighed and lowered his gun slipping it into the back of his pants,"you drive Ami"  
  
Ami nodded and opened the door of the beat up chevy nova," After you."  
  
Darien climbed in aware that the shotgun was still aimed at him and waited for Ami to get in. Ami pulled out of the garage and onto the road, without looking at Darien she popped a tape of the Doors greatest hits in.  
  
"Someone hired me to kill you Darien. Question is... who?" 


End file.
